a. What is advertising? b. Identify any six media of advertising C. Explain four disadvantages of advertising

Answer Details

(a) What is advertising?

Advertising is any paid, non-personal form of presenting and promoting ideas, goods or services by an identified sponsor through the mass media, with the aim of informing, persuading and reminding customers so as to influence their buying behaviour.

(b) Six media of advertising

1. Television
2. Radio
3. Newspapers
4. Magazines
5. Billboards/posters (outdoor)
6. Internet/social media (online)
7. Handbills/leaflets

(c) Four disadvantages of advertising

1. High cost: Advertising, especially on television and in national newspapers, is very expensive and raises the overall cost of goods, which may be passed on to consumers as higher prices.
2. Can be misleading/deceptive: Some adverts exaggerate or make false claims, deceiving consumers into buying goods that do not perform as promised.
3. Encourages waste/impulse buying: It can persuade people to buy goods they do not really need, leading to wasteful spending.
4. Difficult to measure effectiveness: It is often hard to know exactly how much of the sales resulted from a particular advert, so money may be spent without clear returns.
5. Can promote unhealthy competition: Rival firms may spend heavily on adverts (including comparative/knocking adverts), wasting resources.